Monday 25 July 2011

Chainsaws at dawn

Well, O.K., not exactly at dawn, since dawn breaks early in July. But with builders renovating the house next door we're having a noisy summer here. The cement mixer churns and there's a brickie effing and blinding his way through building a wall at the front. At the back someone insistently taps paving slabs with a hammer to get the new patio laid flat. Through an open upstairs window comes the sound of the plasterer singing along to Adele songs. Sand arrives and skips are collected. Half the county's building trade seems involved in the house next door.

It's put a temporary blot on pottering about in my dressing gown, watering my plants and enjoying my first coffee of the day. In fact, after six weeks it's all getting wearysome, especially as escaping anywhere in the car involves navigating through the white vans parked beside our kerb.

Then again, every cloud of brick dust has a silver lining. I've submitted four stories during July. It's unusual for me to submit much in the summer as I'm normally in the garden more. I have no excuse not to complete my tax form too, while I am stuck indoors anyway. Gosh I hate having to do a tax form for my small writing income. I'm a bit rubbish with numbers. It always takes at least three phone calls to the tax office to check which figure goes where. But then I know I am lucky to have any writing income, with paying markets seeming to grow ever more competitive.

Well, that's my little moan over. Next weekend I have a guest blogging here at Zigzag Road. Watch this space, and I hope you all have a peaceful week.

11 comments:

Teresa Ashby said...

Ahh sympathies. Lots of story fodder for you there though - I can just see the effing and blinding brickie and the singing plasterer. And the tax form - ugh :-(

Old Kitty said...

I love your silver linings on the horizon of the clouds of building dust and dirt and sand!

Yay for your submissions!!!! Good luck with your tax form filling. Me and numbers are mortal enemies so I really hope this tax return form isn't too grim!!

Take care x

joanne fox said...

Yes Teresa, if you write you can turn almost any situation to your advantage and I already have a story sketched out!

Kitty, I bet I'll still be putting off my tax form this time next week! I dread it, then when it's done I wonder what I was in such a palaver about.

Regina said...

In a way that is why I'm glad that I don't have neighbors. That way I am not waking them up and they are not waking me up either.

joanne fox said...

That's true Regina. I suppose it's about getting the balance right between privacy and having somebody nearby in an emergency.

Keith Havers said...

Good luck with the 4 stories. Maybe you should use some of your creative skills on the tax form.

joanne fox said...

Thanks Keith, good idea.

Ellie Garratt said...

We have construction work going on at the bottom of our road, so you have my sympathies.

Love the new look blog!

Ellie Garratt

joanne fox said...

Thanks Ellie, hope we both get some peace and quiet soon then!

Jenny Woolf said...

Thanks for following my blog. You are doing well to have an income, as you say, it's getting so hard. I'm exactly the same about my tax - but I'm not sorting it out yet. Help! maybe I should....
And, I'll look out for some of your stories now

joanne fox said...

Welcome to the blog Jenny, thanks for joining! (Still haven't done my tax form!)